Central Alabama Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Birmingham
Barber Motorsports Park featuring interior views
Barber Motorsports Park showing interior views
Birmingham which includes interior views
Barber Motorsports Park

Discover the cultural heart of Alabama in the center of the state, where you will find engaging museums, stunning scenery and thrilling events, including car races and football games. 

Experience the culture of southern America’s heartland in Central Alabama, a region that is incontrovertibly shaped by its past while looking forward to a bright future. Famous cities with fascinating historical attractions sit surrounded by scenery that includes picturesque lakes. Smaller towns are shaped by their proudly held traditions.

Start your journey to Central Alabama in Birmingham, the largest city in the state. One of the landmarks in this historic city is the Vulcan Statue, a 56-foot (17-meter) sculpture of the Roman god of blacksmithing, a symbol of the region’s industrial past. Visit the Sloss Furnaces for an enthralling insight into this era of history.

Explore Birmingham’s numerous museums for a complete picture of the city’s multifaceted history. Listen to the music of the greats in the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and discover a global array of paintings and sculptures at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Stop by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to learn about the city’s complex role in the 20th-century movement.

Wander around the historic campus of the University of Alabama in the charming city of Tuscaloosa. The campus area houses a wide array of museums, sports grounds and gardens. Watch the famous Crimson Tide play a thrilling game of football.

Central Alabama also has a proud history of motorsports. Get up close to vintage car models in the Barber Motorsports Park and the Wellborn Musclecar Museum. Join huge crowds of locals at the Talladega Superspeedway, famed for its high-speed NASCAR races.

Explore the landscapes outside the towns and cities of Central Alabama. Stroll through shaded woodland and rest by tranquil lakes in the state parks of the region. Cheaha State Park is the home of the highest point in Alabama and features hiking and biking trails. Cyclists will also enjoy the routes running through scenic Chewacla State Park.

Board a flight to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport to land in the heart of Central Alabama. The region remains warm throughout the year, although spring and fall are the best times to avoid the most humid months.

Where to stay in Central Alabama

Birmingham featuring a statue or sculpture and interior views

Downtown Birmingham

Downtown Birmingham is popular for its abundant dining options, and if you're looking for more to see and do, you might think about a trip to McWane Science Center or Regions Field.

Downtown Birmingham
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Homewood

Travellers come to Homewood for its abundant dining options, and you can see top attractions like Birmingham Zoo and Red Mountain Park while you're in town.

Homewood
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Mountain Brook

Mountain Brook is noteworthy for its restaurants, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Birmingham Zoo.

Mountain Brook
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Vestavia Hills

Visitors to Vestavia Hills enjoy its restaurants, and if you want to do some exploring, Birmingham Ballet is worth a stop.

Vestavia Hills
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University Area

If you're spending some time in University Area, Paul W. Bryant Museum and Coleman Coliseum are top sights worth seeing.

University Area
Vulcan Statue featuring a city

Five Points South

4.5/5(5 area reviews)

Unique features of Five Points South include the theatres and live music. Make a stop by Regions Field or Vulcan Statue while you're exploring the area.

Five Points South
Days Inn by Wyndham Hoover Birmingham

Days Inn by Wyndham Hoover Birmingham

2 out of 5
1800 Riverchase Dr, Hoover, Birmingham, AL
The price is ₹5,157 per night from 6 Nov to 7 Nov
₹5,157
₹6,055 total
6 Nov - 7 Nov
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly motel in Birmingham. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
7.6/10 Good! (1,022 reviews)
"Room was fine, property is a bit older. Breakfast was fairly limited, but the price point reflects all this. I would stay here again if I was looking for a good budget hotel. Staff was all very nice."

Reviewed on 19 Oct 2025

Days Inn by Wyndham Hoover Birmingham
Red Roof Inn Birmingham South

Red Roof Inn Birmingham South

2 out of 5
1466 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills, Birmingham, AL
The price is ₹6,155 per night from 23 Oct to 24 Oct
₹6,155
₹7,202 total
23 Oct - 24 Oct
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a fitness centre. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
7.6/10 Good! (1,015 reviews)
"Great place! Stayed a few nights."

Reviewed on 19 Oct 2025

Red Roof Inn Birmingham South
Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel

Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel

4 out of 5
1000 Riverchase Galleria, Hoover, Birmingham, AL
The price is ₹11,871 per night from 2 Nov to 3 Nov
₹11,871
₹13,709 total
2 Nov - 3 Nov
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and the ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,272 reviews)
Well stay again
"Everything was nice"

Reviewed on 18 Oct 2025

Hyatt Regency Birmingham-The Wynfrey Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Postcard Cabins Talladega Valley, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy

Postcard Cabins Talladega Valley, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy

2 out of 5
215 Cosper Bend Rd, Childersburg, AL
Stay at this cabin in Childersburg. Enjoy free parking, patios and climate control. Popular attractions Sally West Park and The Meadows Golf Course are located ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (41 reviews)
"We arrived late for a quick night stay so we didn't get to fully enjoy the amenities, but I would definitely book again. I loved the large window with a lake view."

Reviewed on 8 Oct 2025

Postcard Cabins Talladega Valley, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy
Landing Midtown

Landing Midtown

4 out of 5
2014 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool and in-room washers/dryers. Popular attractions The Summit and Heaviest Corner ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (44 reviews)
"Get in to the property was terrible they gave me like 7 code that did not work and I had to speak to four different people to just try to get in the building and had to download two different app finally got in to the property around 11:30pm and we arrived there at 5pm but once we finally got in ..."

Reviewed on 6 Oct 2025

Landing Midtown
Downtown Birmingham Apartments by Landing

Downtown Birmingham Apartments by Landing

4 out of 5
600 19th St N, Birmingham, AL
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, parking (surcharge) and in-room washers/dryers. Popular attractions Don Kresge Memorial Museum ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (50 reviews)
"The room was very nice, clean and comfortable. The place was gorgeous!!! The only downfall was that the elevators in the parking garage did not work. And the other elevators ran slow at some point of the day. Overall my visit was exceptional. I absolutely love this place."

Reviewed on 17 Oct 2025

Downtown Birmingham Apartments by Landing
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Cities near Central Alabama